pipa americana
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A specific species of aquatic frog native to South America, scientifically known as Pipa pipa or the common Surinam toad. It is characterized by a highly flattened body and a unique reproductive method where the female carries the eggs embedded in the skin of her back until the young emerge fully developed.
Usage Notes
- "Pipa americana" is a formal, scientific name. In common language, the species is more frequently called the "Surinam toad" or "common Surinam toad."
- It is used as a singular, countable noun (e.g., , ).
- The word is always written in lowercase when not starting a sentence, even though it originates from a proper Latin binomial name.
Examples
- Scientific Context:
- Descriptive Context:
- Comparative Context:
Advanced Usage
- The term can be used metonymically in biological discussions to represent extreme evolutionary adaptations.
- When discussing neotenic development, one cannot overlook the case of the pipa americana.
Variants and Related Words
- Surinam toad (n): The most common English name for this species.
- Common Surinam toad (n): A more precise vernacular name.
- Pipa pipa (n): The current accepted scientific binomial name, often used synonymously with in older texts.
- Pipa (n): The genus to which this species belongs, which includes other similar aquatic frogs.
Synonyms
- Surinam toad
- Common Surinam toad
- Star-fingered toad (a less common name referring to its sensory tentacles)
Related Idioms or Phrases
- No common idioms incorporate this specific scientific term. However, the animal's unique reproductive strategy is sometimes referenced figuratively.
- The project was incubated and carried to completion by a single dedicated team, much like the young of the pipa americana.
Noun
- a South American toad; incubates its young in pits in the skin of its back